Stand By Me
by Samantha Joan
Summary: "What would you have said?" She angled her head. "What would I have said..." and she trailed off with a mock puzzled look...and is she really going to make him say it? -Tag to Sucker Punch.


My first piece of writing for Suits. After the last episode...I just had to. Because _my goodness _those two.

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**_"And in the end the best you can hope for is to find a place to make your stand. And if you're very lucky, you find someone willing to stand with you." _**

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He groaned, pelting another small rock from the ground to the third floor window. "This...is completely ridiculous," he muttered up to the dark sky.

If she'd just _answered_ one of his last five phone calls, he wouldn't have to resort to some idiotic movie cliche.

Three pebbles later and he finally saw the window slide up, revealing her in a purple tank top, her hair down around her shoulders. He watched as her face immediately fell.

"You know, and here I was hoping it was just a bird."

He tilted his head. "A bird would be pecking at your window at eleven o' clock at night?"

"Could have been an owl."

"Donna, look -"

She took a breath. "I'm sorry but what would _possibly_ compel you to think that coming here would be a good idea?"

"In my defense," he started, "I did try calling. Myself this time. That surely buys me a few points, no?"

She glared. "No."

"Well, I'm not leaving until you talk to me." He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So, unless you either let me up or come down – I swear to God, I _will_ wake up all your neighbors – "

"Really?" she shot back. "Ultimatums? Right now? Because _that_ will help your cause." She huffed, slamming the window shut. "Un-freaking-believable," was the last thing he heard her groan.

The next minute she was walking out with a deep breath, taking the few last steps until she was in front of him.

She cleared her throat and looked away from him. "You're just lucky that I couldn't afford to have you wake up Mrs. Jenkins. Seriously, that woman is one cranky old bi-"

He nodded before cutting her off, moving forward. "Donna...I'm sorry."

She met his eyes but didn't say anything.

"What Louis did in there...He went way too far. And it shouldn't have happened."

She blinked. "Okay."

"Okay?"

She ran her hands over her face on an aggravated sigh. "What do you want me to say right now, Harvey? I'll tell you the same thing I told your mini-me. This is Louis, okay? People are who they are and –well, it's really on us if we've ever _stupid_ enough to think that they'd be anything else."

"Are we talking about Louis here still – or me?"

She folded her arms with another sigh, pointedly looking down at her slippers. "I know that I'm the one that messed up. I get that. And I'm _sorry_. And I have to deal with those consequences and I–" Lifting her head back up she bit her lip with a shrug. "I just thought that you..."

"I should have called you myself last week," he cut in as she trailed off. "To _actually_ see how you were doing. And you were right – I didn't want to be the one to let you go."

She opened her mouth to say something - but he needs to get this all out before he can't.

"Come on Donna, you come into my office with those big eyes of yours and that sheepish look on your face and I give you Halloween off – three months early!" He exhaled. "How was I possibly supposed to–" He shook his head. "And as for Mike? If you recall, I couldn't do it to him either." He smiled palely. "I, uh, seem to remember you saying something about a pool of tears? Offering me tissues. Water-"

"A tampon," she finished with him, and for the first time in a long time he saw a hint of a smile grace her features.

"It would have been ten times harder with you," he told her, honestly.

It's just...fact.

She looked up and her eyes are just about watering - and he really, really needs her to _not_ cry.

"We settled, by the way," he added, needing to move on. "That Mini-Me of mine pulled a very...Me like maneuver."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "That's great, Harvey," she answered. "Congratulations."

He took a step to her and she just hummed, tiredly, the softness in her eyes now he's come to recognize as her, "_what am I gonna do with you_?" look.

He rested a hand on her arm. "Thank you."

And he hoped his eyes are saying all that he's not –

For always being there.

For knowing him better than anyone else.

For calling him on his bull shit.

For being willing to risk everything to protect him.

For...loving him?

She nodded, curtly. "Sure." She gestured behind her back to the door. "I think I'm gonna - You know it's been a really long week," she jested, taking a couple backwards steps.

He let out a silent laugh, before running a hand behind his neck. "I will _fix_ this. I promise you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"You know I don't."

He got a smile for that.

"Good night, Harvey."

He really has to ask – not sure if he's ready for the answer either way – but he has to ask.

"Wait."

She turned around with an expectant eyebrow raised.

"What would you have said?"

She angled her head. "What would I have said..." and she trailed off with a mock puzzled look...and is she _really_ going to make him say it?

He took a breath. "If I hadn't have stopped Louis, Donna. If I hadn't cut him off – what would you have answered?"

She started to walk back over to him slowly with a shake of her head. "Harvey-"

"Come on. It's just the two of us now," he prodded. "No Louis. No courtroom–"

"Really?" she asked. "Cause this feels _a little_ like a courtroom-"

"-What were you going to say?"

She looked up in thought, inhaling, and then met his eyes with a slow growing smile.

"I decline to answer," she whispered past his ear, breezily, a hand on his shoulder.

He obliged with a roll of his eyes; _figures_.

He returned the smile (doesn't miss the shine in her eyes) as she stepped back, aimed for her door once again.

He felt lighter than he had in days as he whispered a good night to her retreating form.

After all –people don't plead the fifth unless they have something to hide.

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Be gentle with me, oh new fandom of mine. ;)


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